Journey
by LeSkye
Summary: Rukia feels she's a burden to everybody especially Ichigo. Then, Uruhara Kisuke gave her some advice that might help her regain her confidence to herself and to her friends. ONE SHOT.


I'm here again ~ **my first one shot**. it's a little bit shorter than expected though. it's also my first **Bleach** fic :D

**Disclaimer: DON'T OWN ANYTHING **

**enjoy ~**

* * *

_There is a magnet in your heart that will attract true friends. _

_That magnet is unselfishness, thinking of others first; when you learn to live for others, they will live for_ you.

_-Paramahansa Yogananda_

**JOURNEY**_  
_

We started out as comrades in battle for at that time, when he unconsciously gained my reiatsu; I have no choice but to use his powers for my job. I was amazed to see such big Zanpakutō before my amethyst eyes. He protected me as I did to him. The urge to make my body as a shield to protect him from a typical Hollow was very strong; to leave such a powerful being powerless is so wrong. Now, I sat here hearing the teacher blab to who knows how long as I star out in space.

"Kuchiki-san?" Someone whispered to me as I immediately turned my attitude 180 degrees to the bubbly and smiley human me.

"Hai?" I whispered back at the human boy when the teacher went back at writing some rubbish on the board.

"I was just wondering if…erm…you know…would you like to have a da-…." The bell rung making this boy's sentence cut short. I can see the disappointed look in his eyes but I just smiled awkwardly at him.

"Maybe some other time. Jaa ~" I said in my high pitched voice. He was down, I can see. But he can't blame me, I don't even know him. His existence wasn't even noticed by me until this day. My stuffs were quickly put inside my backpack as a tall, lean figure looked down upon me. His brown orbs bore mine then I asked myself again, _would my life be different if I hadn't met him?_

As usual, we walked towards their clinic where his family accepted me with open arms. It's been months since the last battle we had and here I am, returning to the Human World to protect Karakura Town alongside my friends. He was welcomed with the usual attack from his dad and me with a perverted ModSoul. Settling in his room and doing homework are what we do for almost every night. Then, we felt it. A Hollow is at the move.

"Rukia!" He screamed my name but I was already one step ahead of him. I'm already in my Shinigami form as I threw him his Badge.

We zoomed through the skies, hoping we'll make it on time. As expected this is no ordinary Hollow. There's a herd of them. We immediately started slicing those hollow. I've had enough, I saw Ichigo using Getsuga Tensho. Guess he's impatient as I am.

"Tsugi no Mai, Hakuren!"

Arrows and a few beams of lights then joined us; seems like Ishida and Chad has arrived. More and more had come from Hueco Mundo when suddenly, something caught our attention. There's a guy coming out, looks like an arrancar but at the same time not. He unleashed a blow at my direction but quickly deflected it with my Zanpakutō. Amidst of my avoidance, I felt Ichigo turning to Bankai that somehow made me panic. Zangetsu would be powerful enough to defeat him but why unleash Tensa Zangetsu?

Then, another blow came to my way but again, deflected it but it went to some passer-bys way. I tried to stop it but Ichigo was faster than me. He destroyed the attack before the innocent people noticed what was going on. Ichigo's eyes were fearful and rather vicious. It's my first seeing that kind of emotion especially in his orbs.

* * *

That night, we hadn't talked. I still remembered what he said after the fight.

"_What the hell, Rukia? Why did you allow those attacks to be led to the town itself? It is your duty to protect the town, not yourself!"_

I shut up afraid those words. He was right. I've been selfish lately. Now that I think about it, does he really treat me as a comrade or even a friend? They've all been helpful to one another, even Orihime. But me? I feel like I'm just a nuisance to them, a person who gets in their way? Am I really like that? I checked the clock in my phone. An hour 'til school starts.

I walked and walked until I felt myself making my way towards Uruhara-san's store. I reached his door and he opened it himself.

"My, my. What brings you here?"

"I think I'm lost." I don't know what possessed me say those but he's here, willing to hear me out. He looked at me and ushered me inside. Tessai-san served us with tea and left us for privacy.

"What do you mean 'lost', Rukia-chan?" I told him what happened last night. He kept silent as I told him how I acted, how _he _acted. "You feel like a burden, then?" I nodded. "How so?"

"He said so himself, I must protect the town before myself. I'm selfish. Maybe being around him made me dependent. A comrade that cannot help the person who does everything for everyone is plain useless." I have my head down low.

"Did Kurosaki-kun refer you as a Comrade? Or as Friend?" He looked at me with serious eyes. I thought about it but still cannot decipher what's the meaning of his question.

"Tomodachi."

"Then there you have it. He referred to you as a friend. Not a comrade. A comrade is there during battles whilst a friend is there through sickness and in health. You've been with Kurosaki-kun for almost 3 years. You know him better than anyone else, even me. Will you let this little misunderstanding ruin everything you've been through?" Now everything makes sense. What I don't understand if he treats me the same. I just have to ask.

"Of course he does. Did it ever occur to you that he got mad because you've been careless for yourself? You accepted all those blows without destroying it. I can feel your unstable reiatsu; I know what you've been through. Maybe that's also one of the main reasons he used his bankai over small matters and rushed to kill that half arrancar."

"You really think so?" He nodded and now I understood. He's always been there for me, for everyone else. He was the best big brother for his sisters and can be overprotective.

I am really lucky to have a friend like him; who cares for others before oneself. Soul Society is always a home for him and so is Karakura Town. Wherever he goes, no matter friend or foe, he helps in a matter no one can compare. And on his every journey, we'll be by his side; me, Ishida, Sado, Orihime, Uruhara-san and many others. I can't even enumerate all those who'll be by his side. It just shows that there's a lot of people and Shinigami alike that treasures him.

Wherever he goes, a new comrade and friend shows and joins the circle. He's a friend that can never be compared.

* * *

**Leave a review? :D**

**4/27/12 8:53PM GM+8**


End file.
